Resources

Diabetes Websites for Kids or Caregivers

Who they are: NDEP is a federally funded program which includes over 200 partners at federal, state and local levels and is sponsored by the US Department of Health and Human Services' National institutes of Health and Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

What they do: NDEP promotes the latest science in the field of diabetes and also conveys the message that diabetes is a serious, and relatively common disease which is preventable for Type 2 diabetes and controllable for Type I diabetes. It also works to improve the treatment and outcomes of people with diabetes, promote early diagnosis, and prevent or delay the onset of type II diabetes.

Best bets for kids and caregivers: Great diabetes information. Information from the site includes healthy recipes for diabetics, tips for teens with diabetes, tips for kids to lower their risk for diabetes.

Best bets for health care professionals and the school personnel: Tip sheets and publications for health care professionals and school personnel, in the Health Care Professional, business and Schools section. This includes resources like guiding principles for diabetes care.

Navigation: From the home page, go to "diabetes facts" or other tabs on the tool bar such as "I have diabetes", "Am I at risk?" etc. To narrow your publications search, use the "Find publications for me" toolbar.

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC): more for caregivers.

Who they are: NDIC is a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) to disseminate diabetes information. NIDDK is part of the National Institutes of Health, which in turn is part of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Who they are: NDIC is geared towards patients, health care professionals, and the general public to increase knowledge and understanding about diabetes. NDIC works closely with NIDDK's Diabetes Research and Training Centers; the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP); professional, patient, and voluntary associations; government agencies; and state health departments to identify and respond to informational needs about diabetes and its management to carry out its mission.

Best bets for kids: This website contains a broad depth of information about diabetes such as food and diabetes, physical activity and diabetes, carbohydrate counting, treatments, complications, statistics. The website also has interactive health education tools in the resources subsection. The interactive features include quizzes, videos, audios and podcasts.

Best bets for caregivers and health professionals: In addition to the above topics, the website also contains information about how to prevent diabetes; and publications for diabetes awareness, prevention and management useful for caregivers and health professionals alike.

Navigation: From the home page, click on any of the twelve tabs on the toolbar according to the information you want.

Who they are: American Association of Diabetes Educators was founded in 1973 and is a multidisciplinary association of health care professionals who are involved in taking care of patients with diabetes.

What they do: They emphasize the importance of successful self-management as a key for the care of people with diabetes and related conditions.

Best bets for kids and caregivers: This website provides useful information for adolescents and caregivers related to healthy eating, being active, monitoring, taking medication, problem solving, reducing risk, and healthy coping in the form of brief videos, handouts and patient education materials.

Navigation: The information can be accessed from the patient resources tab in the "About Diabetes Education" section. This section contains brief videos, handouts and patient education materials.

ADA is run by dedicated volunteer leaders who work to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

What they do: The American Diabetes Association has broad goals of funding research, publishing scientific findings, providing information and other services to people with diabetes, their families, health professionals and the public. The Association also advocates for scientific research and for the rights of people with diabetes.

Best bets for kids and caregivers: American Diabetes association's website provides information about diabetes basics, living with diabetes, food and fitness, community events, and diabetes related news and research. American diabetes association has a website just for kids by the name of Planet D and can be found in the living with diabetes section. This website gives kids with diabetes information in easy to read format plus also has a message board to connect with other kids like them.

Navigation: To access this information, simply click the respective tabs on the toolbar on the home page.

Who they are: American Dietetic Association is the largest organization of food and nutrition professionals.

What they do: This site provides food and nutrition information and scientific research findings related to diabetes.

Best bet for caregivers and health professionals: They can obtain food and nutrition-related information as well as the latest scientific publications in the field of diabetes.

Navigation: The information can be accessed by clicking on the food and nutrition information tab on the home page. This will give you access to a column of sub tabs: Nutrition Fact Sheets, National Nutrition Month, Good Nutrition Reading List and My Pyramid.

Who they are: This website is one of the most well established and highly trafficked online communities for kids with diabetes and their families. Jeff Hitchcock, the founder and president of the website developed this website due to a personal inspiration of having a child with diabetes.

What they do: The mission is to provide parents and families high quality and scientifically based information. The site provides trusted practical guidance from expert resources, which include pediatric endocrinologists, diabetes educators, nurses, researchers, advocates, and equally important fellow parents. It has features such as chat rooms, forum, information about meetings, care suggestions, ask the diabetes team, diabetes management in schools and diabetes news.

Best bet for kids and family: High quality and scientifically based diabetes information as well as interactive features such as chat rooms and ask the diabetes team forums. It also gives information about the upcoming conferences and allows you to ask any diabetes related question. Additionally the section Care Suggestions guides in the management of diabetes and the section News gives latest diabetes related news.

Best bet for school personnel: Go to the diabetes management in schools and diabetes news section to learn how to manage diabetes in school, learn about acute emergencies for diabetics, and how to handle the child in school.

Navigation: The home page has tabs to choose from to get either diabetes related information or use the diabetes online community feature of the site.

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF): More for kids.

Who they are: This website was founded in 1970 by parents of children with diabetes. Now the website is run by tens of thousands of volunteers working in the 100 plus chapters in the US and around the world.

What they do: This website provides community support for people with diabetes who can get practical suggestions from JDRF volunteers who have been in similar situations. Moreover, it provides the latest diabetes research information, vital resources and information, and answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about type I diabetes. Specifically, the website provides information about latest diabetes research, locations of community programs, how can one get involved in community programs, life with diabetes, diabetes-related publications, and diabetes legislations.

Best bet for adolescents: Get diabetes related information and answers to most frequently asked diabetes questions. Adolescents can also use the facebook, myspace, twitter and you tube feature on the website. The kids can also find information and get involved with the community programs.

Best bet for caregivers: The caregivers can also access useful information about the latest research, how to get involved in diabetes community programs, life with diabetes, and browse publications about diabetes in the form of books, magazines, and newsletters.

Navigation: Information can be accessed by clicking ob the tabs research, life with diabetes and publications. For community support and interactive features click on the tabs get involved, locations, and advocacy tabs.

The Pediatric Adolescent Diabetes Research and Education (PADRE) Foundation:

Who they are: It is a nonprofit, independent organization housed at the Children's Hospital of Orange County in Florida with doctors, psychologists, dietitians, diabetes nurse specialists, and dietitians managing the foundation.

What they do: It is an association with the mission to conduct clinical and scientific research of juvenile diabetes and also to provide educational programs. The educational programs are geared to provide care and support for toddlers, children 5 to 12 years old and teenagers with Type I Insulin Dependent diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. This organization also offers a support group for family members of children with diabetes.

Best bet for caregivers and school personnel: School personnel can get information about how to take care of kids in school with diabetes. Caregivers can access information about educational and support group programs for kids and their families.

Navigation: School personnel and caregivers can access the required information by clicking on site map and then selecting tabs such as tools for schools, TOT program, PADRE foundation, and order PEDS material, from the column of tabs.